Shoe sole and method of making the same



April 4, 1944.

SHOE SOLE H. L PIERSON AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed March 1, 1943 W000 -E/v0 GRAIN 6 7 7 .2, T A 77 4 I o 5 3m mm w .m j

\ T INVENTOR.

2, Hare/d L. P/erOK) 5 MW.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 4, 1944 SHOE SOLE AND METHOD MAKING THE SAME Harold L. Pierson, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to E. P. Reed & 00., Rochester, N. Y., a corporate tion of New York Application March 1, 1943, Serial No. 477,548

12 Claims.

This invention relates to a shoe sole and method of making the same and has for its object to afford an economical procedure for manufacturing a durable and practical shoe having an outer sole or tread surface formed of wood.

It has long since been proposed to manufacture shoe soles in part or entirely from wood, but

various difllculties have been encountered among which may be mentioned the stiffness or lack of flexibility of the sole, the problem 'of fastening the sole securely to the shoe upper sothat it will hold, the absence of proper wearing qualities, also the excessive cost of manufacture, and it is a purpose of the present invention to overcome these several objections by the provision of a durable sole that can be produced at a reasonably low cost, one that is characterized by maximum flexibilitxboth lengthwise and transversely of the shoe, and which can be attached to a shoe upper in a manner that insures permanent connection of the wood portions.

Another object of the invention is to afford a shoe sole having a wood tread surface that will give long wear and compare favorably in durability with a leather outer sole, and to attain these ends by utilizing a wood layer with the grain extending perpendicularly to the plane of the layer, thus insuring an intimate cement bond between the wood and the supporting layer, making it possible for the wood to absorb a waterproofing material eifectively, and giving maximum wear.

A further purpose of the invention is to afford a construction embodying a wood tread surface comprising a multiplicity of relatively small wood units permitting their independent movement in relation to each other both lengthwise and transversely of the shoe so as to insure maximum flexibility and yielding of the sole to the movements 01' the foot while at the same time protecting the wood surface against fracture or breakage and attaining the greatest wear possible from a wood sole.

Still another objectof the invention is to make possible a procedure that enables manufacturing a wood sole at a comparatively low cost, thus making it a practical, marketable product that can be merchandised competitively with leather soled shoes, and.which will give a satisfactory performance in actual use.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the construction and method that will appear clearly from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. the novel features being pointed out in the claims following the specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a shoe sole made in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the blank from which the sole is made, inc1uding the flexible supporting layer and the wood layer cemented thereto;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the blank after the wood layer has been routed around its edge to receive a welt;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the blank after the wood layer has been routed and subsequently cut lengthwise and transversely to provide a multiplicity of separate independently movable wood units;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section on line 5-4 of Fig. 1, showing the sole after the welt has been attached. and :before finishing the exposed surface of the wood tread, and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing in which like reference numerals refer to the ,same parts throughout the several views, the blank from which the sole is made is preferably formed by cementing together with pyroxylin or any suitable cellulose cement a readily flexible supporting "layer l consisting of a thin leather split or other available material and a wood layer 2, the cement extending over the entire contacting surfaces of the layers, and the wood layer having been cut so that its grain extends perpendicularly to the plane of the layer. Thus the fibers in the wood layer 2 extend in such a direction that their ends are exposed on one side to the,supporting layer I and on the other side to serve as a tread surface and receive wear. By having the grain of the wood extend perpendicularly to the plane of the layer, the cement which attaches the layers i and 2 together is absorbed to a much greater extent by the Wood layer than if the grain of the wood extended'transversely or parallel to the plane of the layer, and thus a much more intimate and tighter bond is attained between the layers, and permanent attachment of the wood to the supporting layer is assured.

After the layers I and 2 are attached in the manner described, the sole blank is cut-to the desired contour by a suitable die as usual in shoe manufacturing. following which the wood layer 2 is routed around its edge to afford the channel 3 which receives a welt that will be described presently.

After formation of the channel 3, the wood layer 2 is subjected to a cutting operation to provide two series of parallel cuts indicated by 4 and 5 respectively which in the present instance are at right angles to each other, and extend through or almost entirely through the wood layer to afford a multiplicity of square or other substantially equal-sided relatively small wood units arranged both transversely and lengthwise of the oleand movable independently of each other in both such directions.

The wood layer 2 is prefer-ably die-cut in any suitable die-cutting machine for the purpose, such operation being made possible by the fact that the grain of the wood layer extends perpendicularly to the plane of the layer that the die-cutting knives will readily penetrate through or almost entirely through the wood layer. In order to protect the supporting layer, it is preferable to cut the wood layer not entirely through. leaving a slight uncut portion which when the sole is shaped to secure it to the upper and the shoe put in service, readily give way owing to the direction of the grain of the wood and permits separation of the wood units so that each wood square or other separate unit is indiv'idually carried by the flexible supporting layer and will yield with it in any direction.

This arrangement permits maximum flexibility of the sole and also provides wood units of such size that they are not likely to break or fracture in actual service but will continue to wear as individual units and as an entire tread until the fibers of the wood unit are ,worn through. It will be understood that the cuts in the wood layer may be such as to provide wood units of different configuration such as oblong, diamond-shaped, circular, or otherwise, as long as there are separate relatively small wood units of such size as to have movement independently of each other both lengthwise and transversely of the sole and not be subject to breakage.

It has been found preferable to rout the wood layer around its edge before subjecting it to the die-cutting operation so as to obviate any tendency of the wood to chip or break at the edge during the cutting, and in order to protect the edge of the wood layer and prevent it from chipping or breaking in use, a welt 6 is applied in the channel 3 extending entirely around the edge of the sole on both sides to the heel portion.

The welt 6 is preferably of leather or may be of other material and is secured in place in the channel preferably by stitching 1 extending through the welt, the wood layer 2, and the flexible supporting layer l. The channel 3 formed in the wood layer is preferably somewhat deeper than the thickness of the welt 6 so that after the welt is secured in place, the exposed surface of the wood layer 2 can be ground off and polished to give a finished, smooth tread surface without contacting or damaging the welt 6, such finishing operation reducing the thickness of the wood adjacent the channel to approximately the same thickness as the welt.

In order to prevent the wood layer from swelling or being affected by moisture, it is suitably treated by brushing 0r spraying on its surface or otherwise applying any waterproofing material such as linseed oil. This can be done either before cementing the wood layer to the supporting layer, or after the cutting operation on the wood layer before applying the welt, or after the welt is attached, and the waterproofing material quickly and thoroughly penetrates the wood layer in shoe manufacturing processes, and th flexible supporting layer I cemented or otherwise attached to the inner sole and upper of the shoe.

While the invention has been described with reference to the particular structure shown, it is not,- confined to the details herein disclosed, and this application is intended to cover such modifications or changes in construction or procedure as may come within th purposes of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. The method of making a shoe sole which includes cementing a wood layer to a flexible supporting layer with the fibers of the wood extending perpendicularly I to the plane of I the layer, and cutting the wood layer in diflerent directions to produce a multiplicity of separate, substantially equal-sided relatively small wood units that are independently movable both lengthwise and transversely of the sole.

2. The method of making a shoe sole which includes cementing a wood layer to a flexible supporting layer with the fibers of the wood extending perpendicularly to the plane of the layer, routing the wood layer to form a channel around its edge, cutting the wood layer in diiierent dia welt in said channel.

.3. The method of making a shoe sole which includes cementing a wood layer to a flexible supporting layer with the fibers of the wood extending perpendicularly to the plane of the layer, and die-cutting the wood layer along two series of parallel lines extending at angles to each other to produce a multiplicity of separate, substantially equal-sided relatively small wood units that are independently movable both lengthwise and transversely of the sole.

4. The method of making a shoe sole which includes cementing a wood layer to a flexible supporting layer with the fibers of the wood extending perpendicularly to the plane of the layer, routing the wood layer to form a channel around its edge, die-cutting the wood layer along two series of parallel lines extending at angles to each other to produce a multiplicity of separate, substantially equal-sided relatively small wood units that are independently movable both lengthwise and transversely of the sole, and securing a welt in said channel.

5. The method of making a shoe sole which includes cementing a wood layer to a flexible supporting layer with the fibers of the wood extending perpendicularly to the plane of the layer. cutting the wood layer in difierent directions to produce a multiplicity of separate, substantially equal-sided relatively small wood units that are independently movable both lengthwise and trans versely of the sole, and applying a waterproofing material to the wood layer.

6. The method of making a shoe sole which includes cementing a wood layer to a flexible supporting layer with the fibers of the wood extending perpendicularly to the plane of the layer, routing the wood layer to form a channel around its edge, die-cutting the wood layer along two series of parallel lines extending at angles to each other to produce a multiplicity of separate, substantially equal-sided relatively small wood units that are independently movable both lengthwise and transversely of the sole, securing a welt in said channel, and applying a waterproofing material to the wood layer.

7. A shoe sole including a flexible supporting layer and a wood layer cemented thereto and comprising a multiplicity of separate, substantially equal-sided relatively small wood units arranged both lengthwise and transversely of the sole and movable independently of each other in both directions, the wood layer having its grain extending perpendicularly to the plane of the layer.

8. A shoe sole including a flexible supporting layer and a wood layer cemented thereto and having its grain extending perpendicularly to the plane of the layer, the wood layer having two series 01' spaced, parallel cuts extending therethrough and arranged at angles to each other, the wood layer being provided around its edge with a channel, and a welt secured in said channel.

9. A shoe sole including a flexible supporting layer and awood layer cemented thereto and comprising a multiplicity of substantially equalsided relatively small wood units arranged both lengthwise and transversely of the sole and movable independently of each other in both directions, the wood layer having its grain extending perpendicularly to the plane of the layer.

10. A shoe sole including a flexible supporting layer and a multiplicity of separate, substantially equal-sided relatively small wood units cemented thereto with the grain of the wood extending perpendicularly to the plane of the supporting layer, said wood units being arranged both lengthwise and transversely of the sole and movable independently of each other in both directions.

11. A shoe sole including a flexible supporting layer, a multiplicity oi separate,substantially equal-sided relatively small wood units cemented thereto with the grain of the wood extending perpendicularly to the plane of the supporting layer, said wood units being arranged both lengthwise and transversely of the sole and movable independently of each other in both directions, and a waterproofing material applied to the wood units.

12. A shoe sole including a flexible supporting layer and a wood layer cemented thereto and having its grain extending perpendicularly to the plane of the layer, the wood layer having two series of spaced, parallel cuts extending therethrough and arranged at angles to each other, the wood layer being provided around its edge with a channel, a welt secured in said channel, and a waterproofing material applied to the wood layer.

HAROLD L. PIERSON. 

